Have you ever wondered how you can transition from a follower to an effective leader? What are the types of transition challenges business leaders faced? Hear from business leaders who have successfully transitioned from a team member to leader, and learn some basic skills to help you be effective as you take the next step.

This workshop focuses on learning about successes and challenges in reaching the top: managerial skills, leadership approaches, and team building techniques. Participants discuss practical takeaways of do’s and don’ts and techniques of being effective leaders. Key discussion topics include management style and approach, managing upward, and creating and leading diverse teams. Upon completion of the workshop, participants will learn how to how to seek opportunities to initiate a leadership self development plan.

Key Takeaways: > Tips on how to retain your cultural values while getting ahead within your company > Ideas to build leadership skills that play to your natural strengths > Technical expertise is less important than management and leadership skills > Do’s and don’ts for organizational advancement

Panelists:Susan Wang WadeSusan is a retired senior executive and corporate officer who spent more than 30 years in high-tech financial, consulting and senior management positions. Currently, Susan serves on the boards of Suntech, Nektar, Altera Corporation, Avanex Corporation and Premier, a private GPO for non-profit hospital systems. As the former CFO of Solectron, Susan was named the electronic manufacturing services industry's highest-ranking female executive. Before joining Solectron, she held financial and accounting management positions with Xerox Corporation and Westvaco Corporation. A certified public accountant, Susan began her career with Price Waterhouse & Co. in New York. In 1995 Susan won the YWCA's Top Women in Industry Award, and she was named one of the San Francisco Bay Area's most powerful corporate women.

Kathy ChouKathy Chou is vice president of sales operations and strategy, responsible for driving sales strategy, processes and tools, sales operations, sales compensation and learning and development for Intuit.Before joining Intuit in November 2012, Chou worked at Hewlett-Packard, where she was vice president of the Personal Systems Group Sales Strategy and Operations and Worldwide Commercial Sales. Chou led the HP team that won the 2009 Franz Edelman award for outstanding achievement in applied operations research.Chou has more than 20 years of operations and management experience in the high-tech industry, including vice president of strategic relations for Linux Networx, and vice president of operations for Penguin Computing. At Agilent Technologies, Chou served as manufacturing manager in the start-up imaging electronics division.In addition to holding an MBA from Harvard University, Chou earned a master’s degree in manufacturing systems engineering and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University. She currently serves on the Stanford Alumni Committee on Trustee Nominations and has most recently joined the Asian Pacific Fund board of directors. The Silicon Valley Business Journal selected her as one of the Top 100 most influential women in 2011 and she was awarded the distinguished 2013 Stanford Medal.

Anu NatarajanFremont Vice Mayor Anu Natarajan has lived in Fremont for 14 years. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture and a Masters degree in Urban Design and Planning from the University of Washington. Her professional experience includes working as an architect, public agency planner, and as an urban planning consultant.Through a community-based planning process, she believes in creating well-designed, sustainable, and livable communities, which is essential to fostering economic growth.Vice Mayor Natarajan served on the Fremont Planning Commission from January 2003 to December 2004. She volunteers with community organizations, and also enjoys exploring new cities and their architecture, meeting people, and reading.